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Thursday, October 8, 2015

1
: a clouding of the lens of the eye or of its surrounding transparent membrane
that obstructs the passage of light

2
: waterfall; especially : a large one over a precipice

A
cataract is an eye disease in which the normally clear lens of the eye becomes
cloudy or opaque, causing a decrease in vision. The lens focuses light onto the
back of the eye (the retina) so images appear clear and without distortion. The
clouding of this lens during cataract formation distorts vision. Cataracts are
usually a very gradual process of normal aging but can occasionally develop
rapidly.

Cataract
surgery is the removal of the natural lens of the eye (also called
"crystalline lens") that has developed an opacification, which is
referred to as a cataract. During cataract surgery, a patient's cloudy natural
lens is removed and replaced with a synthetic lens to restore the lens's
transparency. A few decades ago, this was a big procedure, as there would incision
and patients would be advised on many things including how to sleep and
avoiding oil bath etc., now a days, cataract surgery does not even need
hospitalization, some enter the hospital, have the surgery performed and
simply walk out ….it is done with laser, minimally invasive, small incision
surgery – that has changed the way of cataract surgery.

Here is an
interesting story of a Lion undergoing surgery to have his lens replaced. Daily Mail reports that a team of surgeons
successfully removed the lens from a 330-pound male lion's eye. Joseph, a
17-year-old big cat, began squinting in May of this year and staff at Big Cat
Rescue in Tampa, Florida knew they had to act fast.

After the lion was
sedated with a dart gun the team worked to get the huge beast onto the
operating table and begin the process of removing his lens. It had become
luxated, or detached, which can be a regular problem for lions that are
reaching their senior years. The team worked to get the huge beast onto the
operating table and began the process of removing his lens.

Joseph was sedated
with a dart gun shot. After being loaded
into a crate and reaching the operating table a team of four vets got to work
on the sedated animal. Carole Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue, said: 'I think
this may be the first time that we've ever seen a Lion's lens being removed on
camera - particularly so clearly. 'It took a lot of hard work to try and
determine the cause of Joseph's problem and how to treat it. 'Along with the
regular problems of sedating and operating on such a huge animal we also had to
deal with the fact that Joseph was incredibly angry and was refusing to eat or
drink.

Joseph, is a
17-year-old big cat, at Tampa, Florida
knew they had to act fast. Operating on a big cat is always extremely risky and
the fact that Joseph was agitated
because of his condition made this even more dangerous.

The report states
that after the operation - which was a complete success - Joseph was given
fluids, long lasting antibiotic shots and steroids. Joseph was rescued from a backyard zoo in
Ohio in October 2007 - along with another lion and four tigers. He had been
used as a tourist attraction for people who wanted to pet and have their photo
taken with him. Because of this he had
most of teeth removed by the owner who eventually had her establishment closed
down.

Joseph now lives in
a half-acre enclosure with three other big cats and is recuperating from his
operation by eating his favourite treat - ice cream.